Bit.



m. 655,508. Patented. Aug. 7, I900. m. MGNALLEY.

BIT.

gApplication filed June 30, 1898.)

WITNESSES v //V VENTOI? A 7TOHNEYS.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MIOIIEAL MONALLEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,508, dated August 7, 1900.

Application filed June 30, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHEAL MGNALLEY, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Bit for Horses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to an improvement in driving-bits for horses; and the purpose of the invention is to so construct the bit that the horse will be induced to carry his head outward and away from the chest rather than to drop his chin in direction of the chest.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a view of a horses head and an end View of the improved bit, the said figure illustrating in positive lines the normal position of the head and in dotted lines the position the head will assume when the horse is traveling at a rapid gait; and Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the improved bit.

A represents the bit-bar, and B the rings connected with the bit-bar and adapted for attachment to the driving-reins 21. The rings 13 are preferably mounted to turn in sleeves 10, which are secured to and form a portion of the ends of the bit-bar A, and each sleeve is provided with a forwardly-extending lug 11 at or near its center.

In connection with the bit above described two levers 12 and 13 are employed. These levers are connected with the forwardly-projecting lugs 11 of the sleeves 10, the connection being through the medium of pins 14, projected from the said levers or through an equivalent means. Each lever 12 and 13 is provided near its bottom with a rearwardlyextending lug or projection 15, and in the said projections 15 of the levers a slot or an opening 16 is made, while at the lowerextremity of each lever 12 and 13 a ring or an eye 17 is formed to which the members of the lower bifurcated portion of the checkrein 20 Serial No. 684,830. (No model.)

are attached,the checkrein being carried over the horses head between the ears in the ordinary way, and to an engagement with the check-hook on the saddle, as shown in Fig. 1.

A chin-strap 18 is employed in connection with the levers, the chin-strap being preferably of an elastic material; but any material such as leather, for example, or an elastic webbing-1nay be employed. The chin-strap 18 is provided at its ends ordinarily with attachin g devices,usually in the shape of hooks, as shown at the right in Fig. 2, which are made to enter the openings 16 in the projections 15 from the levers 12 and 13.

In operation the horses head is checked up by attaching the overdraw to the water-hook on the harness-pad, as shown in Fig. l, which causes him to project his nose more than usual with the ordinary check. In driving it has been found the tendency to protrude the nose remains, despite a strong pull on the lines, so that the wind-pipe is nearly straight and free or easy breathing is promoted.

The improved bit is simple, durable, and economic, and, furthermore, is so constructed that it will not irritate the horse or tend to injure the jaw or mouth in any manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- In a bit, the combination, with a mouth or bit bar having a sleeve securely fastened thereto at each of its ends, lugs forwardly projected from the said sleeves, and rings adapted to receive the driving-reins mounted to turn in the said sleeves, of levers pivotally attached to the lugs, and adapted inone position to extend downward from the lugs and in another position to extend forwardly on practically a horizontal line, and a chin-strap connected with the said levers at the rear and at a point near their lower ends, the lower ends of the said levers terminating in forwardly extending rings, as described.

MIOHEAL M CNALLEY.

Witnesses:

LEE M. EHRLIOH, M. W. Mnvnns. 

